Characterizing the theory of energy transition in Luxembourg— Part three— In the residential sector

in Energy Science and Engineering (2022)

Increasing consciousness to address future concerns is a challenging subject, noticed considerably by policymakers and investors. Investigation of energy use in residential buildings in terms of quantity ... [more ▼]

Increasing consciousness to address future concerns is a challenging subject, noticed considerably by policymakers and investors. Investigation of energy use in residential buildings in terms of quantity and sources of energy was the main focus of this study. Indeed, the paper was aimed to study the role of contextual factors on two points: the energy demand and the spreading of renewable technologies in the residential sector. It was theory- driven research to highlight some future concerns. The first theory was to reveal how the growth of single- family houses versus multi- family houses could affect the growth of energy consumption and the application of renewable technologies. The second theory was built to highlight that spreading energy measures to increase efficiency or introducing a new energy carrier should be embedded in the context of new construction activities or in a template of renovation projects. The third theory was to emphasize the priority of thinking about managing the changes in residential buildings because of the lasting impact of the decision about the type of building. Finally, the purpose of the ongoing transition was argued to highlight that the growth of renewable technologies has not been necessarily aligned with getting away from fossil fuels. [less ▲]

A dynamic “predict, then optimize” preventive maintenance approach using operational intervention data

in European Journal of Operational Research (2022)

We investigate whether historical machine failures and maintenance records may be used to derive future machine failure estimates and, in turn, prescribe advancements of scheduled preventive maintenance ... [more ▼]

We investigate whether historical machine failures and maintenance records may be used to derive future machine failure estimates and, in turn, prescribe advancements of scheduled preventive maintenance interventions. We model the problem using a sequential predict, then optimize approach. In our prescriptive optimization model, we use a finite horizon Markov decision process with a variable order Markov chain, in which the chain length varies depending on the time since the last preventive maintenance action was performed. The model therefore captures the dependency of a machine’s failures on both recent failures as well as preventive maintenance actions, via our prediction model. We validate our model using an original equipment manufacturer data set and obtain policies that prescribe when to deviate from the planned periodic maintenance schedule. To improve our predictions for machine failure behavior with limited to no past data, we pool our data set over different machine classes by means of a Poisson generalized linear model. We find that our policies can supplement and improve on those currently applied by 5%, on average. [less ▲]

Differential graded Lie groups and their differential graded Lie algebras

in Transformation Groups (2022), 10.1007/s00031-021-09666-9

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Data protection in the judiciary in EU and EEA Member States

in International Data Privacy Law (2022)

Laser welding of copper to aluminum with spiral trajectory and identification of excessive aluminum melting

in Journal of Laser Applications (2022)

Laser welding of copper and aluminum is challenging due to the formation of complex intermetallic phases. Only a defined amount of Al and Cu can be melted because of the limited solubility of Al–Cu ... [more ▼]

Laser welding of copper and aluminum is challenging due to the formation of complex intermetallic phases. Only a defined amount of Al and Cu can be melted because of the limited solubility of Al–Cu systems. Finding the optimum melting is critical for a strong joint. Optical emission during the welding process contains the metal vapor of Al metal that is being welded. This is a good indicator for monitoring the welding process. This research paper focuses on the optical emission of Al from the bottom sheet during welding of Cu (top) and Al (bottom) in overlapped configuration for a spiral trajectory. The emitted signal in the range of 395 nm (±3 nm) from the bottom sheet of aluminum is used to identify excessive Cu–Al welding. The tensile shear strength, microstructure, and welding signal in the time domain for optimum and excessive weld conditions are investigated. In this study, a technique using a photodiode is shown to identify the excessive melting of Al during the welding process in real time. [less ▲]

Using small-angle scattering to guide functional magnetic nanoparticle design

in Nanoscale Advances (2022), 4

Fairness, integrity, and privacy in a scalable blockchain-based federated learning system

in Computer Networks (2022), 202

Federated machine learning (FL) allows to collectively train models on sensitive data as only the clients’ models and not their training data need to be shared. However, despite the attention that ... [more ▼]

Federated machine learning (FL) allows to collectively train models on sensitive data as only the clients’ models and not their training data need to be shared. However, despite the attention that research on FL has drawn, the concept still lacks broad adoption in practice. One of the key reasons is the great challenge to implement FL systems that simultaneously achieve fairness, integrity, and privacy preservation for all participating clients. To contribute to solving this issue, our paper suggests a FL system that incorporates blockchain technology, local differential privacy, and zero-knowledge proofs. Our implementation of a proof-of-concept with multiple linear regressions illustrates that these state-of-the-art technologies can be combined to a FL system that aligns economic incentives, trust, and confidentiality requirements in a scalable and transparent system. [less ▲]

Focal adhesion kinase plays a dual role in TRAIL resistance and metastatic outgrowth of malignant melanoma

in Cell Death and Disease (2022)

Despite remarkable advances in therapeutic interventions, malignant melanoma (MM) remains a life-threating disease. Following high initial response rates to targeted kinase-inhibition metastases quickly ... [more ▼]

Despite remarkable advances in therapeutic interventions, malignant melanoma (MM) remains a life-threating disease. Following high initial response rates to targeted kinase-inhibition metastases quickly acquire resistance and present with enhanced tumor progression and invasion, demanding alternative treatment options. We show 2nd generation hexameric TRAIL-receptor-agonist IZI1551 (IZI) to effectively induce apoptosis in MM cells irrespective of the intrinsic BRAF/NRAS mutation status. Conditioning to the EC50 dose of IZI converted the phenotype of IZI-sensitive parental MM cells into a fast proliferating and invasive, IZI-resistant metastasis. Mechanistically, we identified focal adhesion kinase (FAK) to play a dual role in phenotype-switching. In the cytosol, activated FAK triggers survival pathways in a PI3K- and MAPK-dependent manner. In the nucleus, the FERM domain of FAK prevents activation of wtp53, as being expressed in the majority of MM, and consequently intrinsic apoptosis. Caspase-8-mediated cleavage of FAK as well as FAK knockdown, and pharmacological inhibition, respectively, reverted the metastatic phenotype-switch and restored IZI responsiveness. FAK inhibition also re-sensitized MM cells isolated from patient metastasis that had relapsed from targeted kinase inhibition to cell death, irrespective of the intrinsic BRAF/NRAS mutation status. Hence, FAK-inhibition alone or in combination with 2nd generation TRAIL-receptor agonists may be recommended for treatment of initially resistant and relapsed MM, respectively. [less ▲]

Intersectional Inequalities in Science

in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2022), 119(2), 2113067119

The US scientific workforce is primarily composed of White men. Studies have demonstrated the systemic barriers preventing women and other minoritized populations from gaining entry to science; few ... [more ▼]

The US scientific workforce is primarily composed of White men. Studies have demonstrated the systemic barriers preventing women and other minoritized populations from gaining entry to science; few, however, have taken an intersectional perspective and examined the consequences of these inequalities on scientific knowledge. We provide a large-scale bibliometric analysis of the relationship between intersectional identities, topics, and scientific impact. We find homophily between identities and topic, suggesting a relationship between diversity in the scientific workforce and expansion of the knowledge base. However, topic selection comes at a cost to minoritized individuals for whom we observe both between- and within-topic citation disadvantages. To enhance the robustness of science, research organizations should provide adequate resources to historically underfunded research areas while simultaneously providing access for minoritized individuals into high-prestige networks and topics. [less ▲]

Dairy Intake and Parkinson's Disease: A Mendelian Randomization Study

in Movement Disorders (2022)

Abstract Background Previous prospective studies highlighted dairy intake as a risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD), particularly in men. It is unclear whether this association is causal or explained ... [more ▼]

Abstract Background Previous prospective studies highlighted dairy intake as a risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD), particularly in men. It is unclear whether this association is causal or explained by reverse causation or confounding. Objective The aim is to examine the association between genetically predicted dairy intake and PD using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR). Methods We genotyped a well-established instrumental variable for dairy intake located in the lactase gene (rs4988235) within the Courage-PD consortium (23 studies; 9823 patients and 8376 controls of European ancestry). Results Based on a dominant model, there was an association between genetic predisposition toward higher dairy intake and PD (odds ratio [OR] per one serving per day = 1.70, 95 confidence interval = 1.12–2.60, P = 0.013) that was restricted to men (OR = 2.50 [1.37–4.56], P = 0.003; P-difference with women = 0.029). Conclusions Using MR, our findings provide further support for a causal relationship between dairy intake and higher PD risk, not biased by confounding or reverse causation. Further studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. © 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society [less ▲]

Sexual Satisfaction and Sexual Behaviors During the Covid-19 Pandemic: Results From the International Sexual Health and Reproductive (I-SHARE) Health Survey in Luxembourg

in BMC Public Health (2022)

Aim: To identify the impact of COVID-19 measures on sexual behaviors and sexual satisfaction in Luxembourg residents. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of adults (> 18 years of age ... [more ▼]

Aim: To identify the impact of COVID-19 measures on sexual behaviors and sexual satisfaction in Luxembourg residents. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of adults (> 18 years of age) residing in Luxembourg, while COVID-19 restrictions were in place. The survey was available in four languages (French, German, English and Portuguese). Survey questions focused on masturbation, cuddling, condom use, sex frequency, sexting, cybersex, watching porn, and sexual satisfaction. Results: 557 volunteers completed the survey (35.5% men, 64.3% women). Sexual problems increased during the COVID-19 measures while sexual satisfaction decreased compared to prior the COVID-19 measures (assessed retrospectively). Factors associated with increased odds of sexual satisfaction were: having a steady relationship before COVID-19 restrictions, engaging in sexting, reporting good mental health and not altering alcohol intake. Conclusions: The context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures implemented in Luxembourg affected sexual behaviors and sexual satisfaction. Sexual and reproductive health care centers and health professionals in general should take these results into consideration when providing care. Recommendations on the importance of sexual health for general wellbeing and behaviors associated with sexual satisfaction should be offered and possibilities to experience sexuality while reducing contamination risks be discussed. [less ▲]

Calibration of the Latest Generation Superconducting Gravimeter iGrav-043 Using the Observatory Superconducting Gravimeter OSG-CT040 and the Comparisons of Their Characteristics at the Walferdange Underground Laboratory for Geodynamics, Luxembourg

in Pure and Applied Geophysics (2022)

In December 2019, the latest generation transportable superconducting gravimeter (SG) iGrav-043 purchased by the University of Bonn was installed in the Walferdange Underground Laboratory for Geodynamics ... [more ▼]

In December 2019, the latest generation transportable superconducting gravimeter (SG) iGrav-043 purchased by the University of Bonn was installed in the Walferdange Underground Laboratory for Geodynamics (WULG) in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. In this paper, we estimate the calibration factor of the iGrav-043, which is essential for long-term gravity monitoring. We used simultaneously collected gravity data from the un-calibrated iGrav-043 and the calibrated Observatory superconducting gravimeter OSG-CT040 that operates continuously at WULG since 2002. The tidal analysis provides a simple way to transfer the calibration factor of one SG to the other. We then assess and compare tidal analyses, instrumental drifts and high frequency noises. After 20 years of continuous operation, the instrumental drift of the OSG-CT040 is almost zero. From 533 days of joint operation, we found that the instrumental drift of iGrav-043 exhibits a composite behavior: just after the setup and for two months a fast exponential decrease of 171 nm s−2, then a linear with a rate of 66 nm s−2 ± 10 nm s−2 per year. We suggest that a period of 3 months is sufficient for calibrating the iGrav. Accidental electrical power cuts triggered slight differences in the reaction and recovery of the OSG-CT040 and iGrav-043. However, it has been found that the long-term linear behavior of the drift was not affected. [less ▲]

Quantum framework for describing retarded and nonretarded molecular interactions in external electric fields

in Physical Review Research (2022)

MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC ENHANCED ENTRY SYSTEM FOR SPACE TRANSPORTATION (MEESST) AS A KEY BUILDING BLOCK FOR LOW-COST INTERPLANETARY MISSIONS

in Journal of the British Interplanetary Society (2022), 74(12), 448-453

Aside from the launch environment, atmospheric re-entry imposes one of the most demanding environments which a spacecraft can experience. The combination of high spacecraft velocity and the presence of ... [more ▼]

Aside from the launch environment, atmospheric re-entry imposes one of the most demanding environments which a spacecraft can experience. The combination of high spacecraft velocity and the presence of atmospheric particles leads to partially ionised gas forming around the vehicle, which significantly inhibits radio communications, and leads to the generation of high thermal loads on the spacecraft surface. Currently, the latter is solved using expensive, heavy, and often expendable thermal protection systems (TPS). The use of electromagnetic fields to exploit Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) principles has long been considered as an attractive solution for this problem. By displacing the ionised gas away from the spacecraft, the thermal loads can be reduced, while also opening a magnetic window for radio waves, mitigating the blackout phenomenon. The application of this concept has to date not been possible due to the large magnetic fields required, which would necessitate the use of exceptionally massive and power-hungry copper coils. High Temperature Superconductors (HTS) have now reached industrial maturity. HTS coils can now offer the necessary low weight and compactness required for space applications. The MEESST consortium the has been awarded a grant from the EU Horizon 2020 programme for the development and demonstration of a novel HTS-based re-entry system based with its foundation on MHD principles. The project will first harmonize existing numerical codes, and then design, manufacture, and test a HTS magnet. The study shows that the use of MEESST technology can have a positive impact on the cost-effectiveness and available payload of interplanetary missions. [less ▲]

Plateformes de règlement de litiges décentralisées : vers "une justice plus juste" ?

in Dalloz IP/IT (2022), 1

How injury prevention programs are being structured and implemented worldwide: An international survey of sports physical therapists

in Physical Therapy in Sport (2022), 53

Objective To identify the role of sports physical therapists (PT) in the injury prevention process and to compare the structure of preventive programs and associated (organization) policies applied in ... [more ▼]

Objective To identify the role of sports physical therapists (PT) in the injury prevention process and to compare the structure of preventive programs and associated (organization) policies applied in athletic organizations and sports teams of varying gender and level world-wide. Design: cross-sectional study. Setting LimeSurvey platform. Participants Sports PT working with athletes invited through the International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy. Main outcome measures Sports injury prevention program (IPP) structure and implementation. Results 414 participants fully participate in this survey study. Athlete's injury history (68.84%), the most common injuries within the sport modality (67.87%) and athlete's preseason screening results (64.01%) were most frequently used to customize IPPs. Warm-up (70.04%) and individually PT-guided exercise-therapy (70.04%) were the preferred methods to organize the prevention routine. The main barrier for IPP implementation was lack of time within the athlete's weekly training schedule (66.66%). The majority of the participants (72.84%) reported to evaluate the perception of IPP's effect by comparing current and preceding seasons' injury occurrences. Conclusion These survey results are the first identifying contemporary sports injury prevention organization and implementation policies on an international level. This information might support the sports PT community in improving and standardizing IPP (implementation) strategies worldwide. [less ▲]

From communities to protein complexes: A local community detection algorithm on PPI networks

in PLoS ONE (2022), 17(1), 1-17

Uncertainty-driven symmetry-breaking and stochastic stability in a generic differential game of lobbying

in Economic Theory (2022)

We study a 2-players stochastic differential game of lobbying. Players invest in lobbying activities to alter the legislation in her own benefit. The payoffs are quadratic and uncertainty is driven by a ... [more ▼]

We study a 2-players stochastic differential game of lobbying. Players invest in lobbying activities to alter the legislation in her own benefit. The payoffs are quadratic and uncertainty is driven by a Wiener process. We consider the Nash symmetric game where players face the same cost and extract symmetric payoffs, and we solve for Markov Perfect Equilibria (MPE) in the class of affine functions. First, we prove a general sufficient (catching up) optimality condition for two-players stochastic games with uncertainty driven by Wiener processes. Second, we prove that the number and nature of MPE depend on the extent of uncertainty (i.e the variance of the Wiener processes). In particular, we prove that while a symmetric MPE always exists, two asymmetric MPE emerge if and only if uncertainty is large enough. Third, we study the stochastic stability of all the equilibria. We notably find, that the state converges to a stationary invariant distribution under asymmetric MPE. Fourth, we study the implications for rent dissipation asymptotically and compare the outcomes of symmetric vs asymmetric MPE in this respect, ultimately enhancing again the role of uncertainty. [less ▲]

Introduction to Smart Cities in Transition: Challenges of Participation in Urban Environments

in International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction (2022)

From hybrid polariton to dipolariton using non-Hermitian Hamiltonians to handle particle lifetimes

in Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter (2022)

We consider photons strongly coupled to the excitonic excitations of a coupled quantum well, in the presence of an electric field. We show how, under a field increase, the hybrid polariton made of a ... [more ▼]

We consider photons strongly coupled to the excitonic excitations of a coupled quantum well, in the presence of an electric field. We show how, under a field increase, the hybrid polariton made of a photon coupled to hybrid carriers lying in the two wells transforms into a dipolariton made of a photon coupled to direct and indirect excitons. We also show how the cavity photon lifetime and the coherence time of the carrier wave vectors that we analytically handle through non-hermitian Hamiltonians affect these polaritonic states. While the hybrid polaritons display a spectral singularity where the eigenvalues coalesce, known as an exceptional point, that depends on detuning and lifetimes, we find that the three dipolaritonic states display an anticrossing without exceptional point due to the interaction between photons, direct, and indirect excitons. [less ▲]

Critical Review of the ATAD Implementation: The Implementation of the ATAD in Luxembourg

in Intertax (2022), 50(1), 56-65

This article examines the implementation of the ATAD in Luxembourg. Specifically, it analyses all the additions and amendments that had to be made into Luxembourg law, due to the ATAD. It does so in an ... [more ▼]

This article examines the implementation of the ATAD in Luxembourg. Specifically, it analyses all the additions and amendments that had to be made into Luxembourg law, due to the ATAD. It does so in an analytical and critical manner by going through all ATAD anti-avoidance provisions and examining the way they were implemented into Luxembourg law and how they differentiate from the previous rules (if they existed at all). It also critically assesses whether these changes have given rise to any inconsistencies or remaining questions. [less ▲]

Proposition de modification des directives OPCVM et AIFM : Dépositaires

in Revue de Droit Bancaire et Financier (2022)

Normative Coherence for Development and Regionalism: Gender equality in ASEAN’s migration policies

in Development Policy Review (2022)

Motivation:The United Nations2030 Agenda recognizesregions as important actors in implementing the sustainable development agenda.At the same time, regions are often criticized for lackingeffective ... [more ▼]

Motivation:The United Nations2030 Agenda recognizesregions as important actors in implementing the sustainable development agenda.At the same time, regions are often criticized for lackingeffective implementation, especially in relation to gender equality.Purpose:This study examines whether the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) implements its global commitment to gender equality at a regional level. Methods and approach:We apply qualitative analysis of key ASEAN documents in order to determinehow gender equality is implemented regionally. We particularly focus onframeworks related to female migrant workers in ASEAN. Findings: The analysis shows that ASEAN is formally committed to improving gender equality at a regional level, however, female migrants often end up in unfavourable conditions and precarious work relationships without any institutionalized protection because ASEAN's gender equality initiatives are largely concentrated in the Cultural Community and absent from the Economic Community, indicating an absence of normative coherence for developmentwith regard to gender equality. Policy implications:This limited impact of emerging regional commitments to gender equality arises from incoherencies in ASEAN’s normative governance. [less ▲]

Männerbund, Staatsschiff, Multitude. U-Boote und Raumfahrzeuge als politische Körper

in COLLATERAL: Online Journal for Cross-Cultural Close Reading (2022), 32

Chronique de droit des marchés financiers

in Revue des Sociétés (2022)

Comparison of high-performance and conventional internal insulation materials based on hygrothermal analysis using in situ measurements and simulation

in Bauphysik (2022), 1

Following the European directive to reduce CO2 emissions of existing buildings by improving energy efficiency, internal insulation systems play a central role in the renovation of historically valuable ... [more ▼]

Following the European directive to reduce CO2 emissions of existing buildings by improving energy efficiency, internal insulation systems play a central role in the renovation of historically valuable buildings which cannot be insulated from the outside for reasons of monumental protection, or in cases where no additional exterior space is available. However, besides the thermal property of insulation systems, there are other relevant properties to be considered before choosing an internal insulation system, such as the hygrothermal behavior which plays a particularly important role in diffusion-open interior insulation systems. As the internal insulation layer reduces the temperature of the existing wall during the heating season, its drying potential after rain events is considerably reduced. In addition to the effects of moisture from the outside (mainly wind driven rain), the entry of humidity from the inside through diffusion plays an important role. In the presented study, high performance insulation materials with nanostructure based on silicon dioxide and polyurethane are compared to conventional material based on wood fiber from a hygrothermal point of view by analyzing in situ measurements and simulations. [less ▲]

Moral minds in gaming – A quantitative case study of moral decisions in Detroit: Become Human

in Journal of Media Psychology (2022)

Games including meaningful narratives and moral decisions have become increasingly popular. This case study examines (a) the prevalence of morality and moral foundations, (b) player decisions when ... [more ▼]

Games including meaningful narratives and moral decisions have become increasingly popular. This case study examines (a) the prevalence of morality and moral foundations, (b) player decisions when encountering moral options, and (c) the influence of contextual factors (i.e., time pressure, played avatar, and humanness of nonplayable characters) on moral decision-making in the popular video game Detroit: Become Human. Based on extensive coding of available world statistics we identified 73.21% morally relevant (vs. morally irrelevant) decisions in the game with a high prevalence for harm- and authority-related situations. Although players had an overall tendency to engage in moral behavior, they were more likely to act “good” when under time pressure and if nonhuman characters were involved. Our findings are discussed with regard to common theories of morality. Results support the notion that prior theoretical assumptions may be successfully mapped onto top-selling video games. [less ▲]

Leveraging stretching directions for stationkeeping in Earth-Moon halo orbits

in Advances in Space Research (2022), 69(1), 620-646

Near Rectilinear Halo Orbits (NRHOs) are stable or nearly stable orbits that are defined as part of the L1 and L2 halo orbit families in the circular restricted three-body problem. Within the Earth-Moon ... [more ▼]

Near Rectilinear Halo Orbits (NRHOs) are stable or nearly stable orbits that are defined as part of the L1 and L2 halo orbit families in the circular restricted three-body problem. Within the Earth-Moon regime, the L1 and L2 NRHOs are proposed as long horizon trajectories for cislunar exploration missions, including NASA’s upcoming Gateway mission. The spacecraft, however, incurs continuous deviations due to unmodeled forces and orbit determination errors in this dynamically sensitive region. The current investigation focuses on an impulsive stationkeeping technique to maintain the spacecraft near a virtual reference orbit despite these uncertainties. The flow dynamics in the region are utilized to identify appropriate maneuver and target locations. The investigation reflects the impact of various factors on maneuver cost and efficacy. For orbits where position and velocity states are particularly sensitive to epoch time, an additional feedback control strategy is applied for phasing constraints. [less ▲]

Joint Design of Horizontal and Vertical Polarization Waveforms for Polarimetric Radar Via SINR Maximization

in IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems (2022)

For an extended target with different polarimetric response, one way of improving the detection performance is to exploit waveform diversity on the dimension of polarization. In this paper, we focus on ... [more ▼]

For an extended target with different polarimetric response, one way of improving the detection performance is to exploit waveform diversity on the dimension of polarization. In this paper, we focus on joint design of transmit signal and receive filter for polarimetric radars with local waveform constraints. Considering the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) as the figure of merit to optimize, where the average Target-Impulse-Response Matrix (TIRM) within a certain Target-Aspect-Angle (TAA) interval is employed as the target response, the waveform is decomposed and then designed for both horizontal and vertical polarization segments, subject to energy and similarity constraints. An iterative algorithm is proposed based on the majorization-minimization (MM) method to solve the formulated problem. The developed algorithm guarantees the convergence to a B-stationary point, where in each iteration, optimal horizontal and vertical transmit waveforms are respectively solved by using the feasible point pursuit and successive convex approximation (FPP-SCA) technique. Experiment results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, the robustness of the output SINR against the TAA change, and the advantages of polarization diversity and local design. [less ▲]

A Commentary on Article 47 of the Charter and the Member States

in SSRN (2022)

EU law is applied by Member States and on the Union level alike and accordingly EU law is to be applied by Member State courts as well as the CJEU. Different constellations of implementation and ... [more ▼]

EU law is applied by Member States and on the Union level alike and accordingly EU law is to be applied by Member State courts as well as the CJEU. Different constellations of implementation and enforcement of EU law on the national and European levels, however, lead to a diverse set of conditions of judicial review. The CJEU aims to ensure that a ‘complete’ system of remedies2 be provided for all “rights and freedoms protected under Union law” (Article 47 of the Charter). A central tool for realising a ‘complete’ system of remedies is the strengthening of Member State courts as ‘first level EU courts’ as well as ensuring the CJEU’s monopoly of reviewing the validity of acts under EU law. Accordingly, this chapter concentrates on Member State obligations and the links between the national and the EU levels under the right to an effective remedy. The following analysis of the right to an effective remedy within Member State legal systems3 looks at the right to effective remedies in its constitutional context (a), before analysing the scope of protection of the right to an effective remedy and turning to the concept of the rights and freedoms under Union law as the ‘ius’ protected by the right to an effective remedy enshrining the Latin maxime of ubi ius, ibi remedium into EU law (b). The commentary then turns to specific obligations in ‘vertical’ relations between individuals and Member States (c) as well as those in ‘horizontal’ relations between individuals (d). Part (e) examines the permissible limitations on the right to an effective remedy before looking at some of the main lines of development (f). [less ▲]

The determinants of bootstrap financing in crises: evidence from entrepreneurial ventures in the COVID-19 pandemic

in Small Business Economics (2022), 58(2), 867-885

Bootstrap financing refers to measures that entrepreneurial ventures undertake to preserve liquidity (e.g., reducing expenses, collecting receivables, delaying payments, preselling). Prior research shows ... [more ▼]

Bootstrap financing refers to measures that entrepreneurial ventures undertake to preserve liquidity (e.g., reducing expenses, collecting receivables, delaying payments, preselling). Prior research shows that bootstrap financing is an important enabler for the growth of resource-constrained early-stage ventures. However, little is known about the use of bootstrap financing in crises, during which the preservation of liquidity is particularly salient. We investigate the determinants of bootstrap financing in the 2020 COVID-19 crisis using a sample of 17,046 German entrepreneurial ventures. We formulate hypotheses about the determinants of bootstrap financing from a necessity, human capital, and opportunity cost perspective. Among others, our results show that the severity of the crisis for the venture, the level of private consumption, and self-employment experience are positively associated with an increased use of bootstrap financing measures. Our study contributes to the literature on bootstrap financing and illuminates how entrepreneurial ventures maintain liquidity in crises. [less ▲]

The impact of strain on growth mode in chemical vapor deposited mono- and few-layer MoS2

in AIP Adv. (2022), 12(6), 065010

The development of high-quality chemical vapor-deposited mono- and few-layer MoS2 is of high relevance for future applications in functional devices. Consequently, a detailed understanding of the growth ... [more ▼]

The development of high-quality chemical vapor-deposited mono- and few-layer MoS2 is of high relevance for future applications in functional devices. Consequently, a detailed understanding of the growth mode and the parameters affecting it is important. Here, we show for the case of mono- and few-layer MoS2 grown on Muscovite mica, how strain and temperature impact the growth mode. We show how misleading the determination of the number of MoS2 layers is, solely based on Raman spectroscopy due to the occurrence of strain and changes in the growth mode. A combination of atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and ab initio calculations reveal that that the growth at 500 dgree C synthesis temperature exhibits a strained layer-by-layer growth of up to three mono-layers, whereas at 700 degree C, a strain release occurs and layer-by-layer growth is confined to the first mono-layer only. We relate the occurrence of strain to the formation of gas bubbles below the MoS2 film, escaping the mica sheets during high temperature synthesis. Our analysis shows that mica substrates can be used to study strain in 2D materials without the need to apply external stress and that a detailed knowledge of the MoS2 morphology is necessary to correctly interpret the Raman results. [less ▲]

Aggregated hold-out for sparse linear regression with a robust loss function

in Electronic Journal of Statistics (2022), 16(1), 935-997

Sparse linear regression methods generally have a free hyperparameter which controls the amount of sparsity, and is subject to a bias-variance tradeoff. This article considers the use of Aggregated hold ... [more ▼]

Sparse linear regression methods generally have a free hyperparameter which controls the amount of sparsity, and is subject to a bias-variance tradeoff. This article considers the use of Aggregated hold-out to aggregate over values of this hyperparameter, in the context of linear regression with the Huber loss function. Aggregated hold-out (Agghoo) is a procedure which averages estimators selected by hold-out (cross-validation with a single split). In the theoretical part of the article, it is proved that Agghoo satisfies a non-asymptotic oracle inequality when it is applied to sparse estimators which are parametrized by their zero-norm. In particular, this includes a variant of the Lasso introduced by Zou, Hastié and Tibshirani \cite{Zou_Has_Tib:2007}. Simulations are used to compare Agghoo with cross-validation. They show that Agghoo performs better than CV when the intrinsic dimension is high and when there are confounders correlated with the predictive covariates. [less ▲]

La Grande Région Philosophique Lorraine-Luxembourg - in memoriam Gilles Gourbin

in Cahiers le portiQue (2022), 19

Characteristics associated with COVID‑19 vaccine hesitancy

in Scientific Reports (2022)

Understanding what lies behind actual COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is fundamental to help policy makers increase vaccination rates and reach herd immunity. We use June 2021 data from the COME-HERE survey to ... [more ▼]

Understanding what lies behind actual COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is fundamental to help policy makers increase vaccination rates and reach herd immunity. We use June 2021 data from the COME-HERE survey to explore the predictors of actual vaccine hesitancy in France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain and Sweden. We estimate a linear-probability model with a rich set of covariates and address issues of common-method variance. 13% of our sample say they do not plan to be vaccinated. Post-Secondary education, home-ownership, having an underlying health condition, and one standard-deviation higher age or income are all associated with lower vaccine hesitancy of 2–4.5% points. Conservative-leaning political attitudes and a one standard-deviation lower degree of confidence in the government increase this probability by 3 and 6% points respectively. Vaccine hesitancy in Spain and Sweden is significantly lower than in the other countries. [less ▲]

Exploiting plasmonic enhancement with light-emitting diode excitation in surface-enhanced Raman scattering

in Journal of Raman Spectroscopy (2022), (April), 1--6

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a well-established technique that enables the detection of very low molecular concentrations down to single molecules. Typical applications of SERS are the ... [more ▼]

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a well-established technique that enables the detection of very low molecular concentrations down to single molecules. Typical applications of SERS are the consistent identification of various samples used in chemistry, biology, and physics among others. In contrast to common SERS setups, where lasers are used as excitation source, we exploit SERS to perform Raman spectroscopy with a light-emitting diode (LED). We demonstrate the applicability of our approach on four different Raman reporters. We unambiguously distinguish two similar designer molecules 4-nitrothiophenol (p-NTP) and 5,5-dithio-bis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) that are often used in SERS experiments. Additionally, we probe Rhodamine 6G that is used in many different applications and carbon nanotubes as a one-dimensional solid state nanosystem. The LED excited surface-enhanced Raman spectra reproduce the characteristic Raman modes of the different samples. We compare the LED spectra to Raman spectra excited with a laser at the same wavelength. We envision the combination of LED sources with SERS substrates in the next generation of handheld devices and low-cost Raman setups. [less ▲]

Buffering variability in cell regulation motifs close to criticality

in Physical Review. E. (2022)

Bistable biological regulatory systems need to cope with stochastic noise to fine tune their function close to bifurcation points. Here, we study stability properties of this regime in generic systems to ... [more ▼]

Bistable biological regulatory systems need to cope with stochastic noise to fine tune their function close to bifurcation points. Here, we study stability properties of this regime in generic systems to demonstrate that cooperative interactions buffer system variability, hampering noise-induced regime shifts. Our analysis also shows that, in the considered cooperativity range, impending regime shifts can be generically detected by statistical early warning signals from distributional data. Our generic framework, based on minimal models, can be used to extract robustness and variability properties of more complex models and empirical data close to criticality. Our generic framework, based on minimal models, can be used to extract robustness and variability properties of more complex models and empirical data close to criticality. [less ▲]

L’incidence d’une procédure pénale sur l’exequatur d’une sentence arbitrale

in Revue des procédures (2022)

Cross-border everyday lives on the Luxembourg border? An empirical approach: the example of cross-border commuters and residential migrants

in ARL Reports (2022), 33

Luxembourg is characterized by phenomena of mobility that include cross-border commuters and residential migrants. While both groups have been mainly examined from a socioeconomic perspective, this paper ... [more ▼]

Luxembourg is characterized by phenomena of mobility that include cross-border commuters and residential migrants. While both groups have been mainly examined from a socioeconomic perspective, this paper adopts a sociocultural approach. We will focus on the question of the extent to which cross-border mobility in everyday life promotes cross-border lifeworlds. This will involve examining people’s social contacts at their place of work and/or place of residence as well as the spatial organization of practices of the everyday life of both groups. The paper gives insights into everyday lives at the EU’s internal borders, whose organization into nation states is subordinate and at the same time constitutive. [less ▲]

Post-deposition annealing and interfacial atomic layer deposition buffer layers of Sb2Se3/CdS stacks for reduced interface recombination and increased open-circuit voltages

in Progress in Photovoltaics (2022)

Using Artificial Intelligence to Facilitate Assembly Automation in High-Mix Low-Volume Production Scenario

in Procedia CIRP (2022), 107

What Do They Want from a Career? University Students’ Future Career Expectations and Resources in a Health Crisis Context

in Sustainability (2022), 14(24),

Young people and students, in particular, have often been presented as being particularly affected by the health crisis and its various psychological, social, and economic consequences. In this context ... [more ▼]

Young people and students, in particular, have often been presented as being particularly affected by the health crisis and its various psychological, social, and economic consequences. In this context, the present study sought to better understand the links between the anxiety generated by this crisis regarding one’s professional future, the resources available, and future career expectations. A total of 585 higher education students participated in the study during the third lockdown in France and completed a questionnaire that focused on anxiety and apprehension about the future, psychological and adaptative resources, and preferences for dimensions of new careers (kaleidoscopic, sustainable, protean, boundaryless, and opportunistic). The results show, on the one hand, significant links between anxiety, optimism, hope, career adaptability and preferences expressed for dimensions of new careers; on the other hand, dimensions that are more preferred than others. Finally, these results will be discussed in relation to the correlations already highlighted in the literature between individuals and career expectations, and to the more global reflection on the future of work. Possible avenues in the field of career counselling will be proposed. [less ▲]

Irreversibility and Biased Ensembles in Active Matter: Insights from Stochastic Thermodynamics

in Annual Reviews (2022)

Active systems evade the rules of equilibrium thermodynamics by constantly dissipating energy at the level of theirmicroscopic components.This energy flux stems from the conversion of a fuel, present in ... [more ▼]

Active systems evade the rules of equilibrium thermodynamics by constantly dissipating energy at the level of theirmicroscopic components.This energy flux stems from the conversion of a fuel, present in the environment, into sustained individual motion. It can lead to collective effects without any equilibrium equivalent, some of which can be rationalized by using equilibrium tools to recapitulate nonequilibrium transitions. An important challenge is then to delineate systematically to what extent the character of these active transitions is genuinely distinct from equilibrium analogs.We review recent works that use stochastic thermodynamics tools to identify, for active systems, a measure of irreversibility comprising a coarse-grained or informatic entropy production.We describe how this relates to the underlying energy dissipation or thermodynamic entropy production, and how it is influenced by collective behavior. Then, we review the possibility of constructing thermodynamic ensembles out of equilibrium, where trajectories are biased toward atypical values of nonequilibrium observables.We show that this is a generic route to discovering unexpected phase transitions in active matter systems, which can also inform their design. [less ▲]

Introduction

in Politique Européenne (2022), 2022(2), 6-11

Le vingtième siècle européen a été caractérisé par des visions concurrentes et/ou conflictuelles de l'organisation du continent. Cette introduction générale explique pourquoi les éditeurs ont décidé de se ... [more ▼]

Le vingtième siècle européen a été caractérisé par des visions concurrentes et/ou conflictuelles de l'organisation du continent. Cette introduction générale explique pourquoi les éditeurs ont décidé de se concentrer sur la période de la guerre froide, présente brièvement le contexte historique plus large et clarifie enfin l'utilisation du mot "asymétrie". [less ▲]

Applying the national mental health policy in conflict-affected regions: towards better social inclusion (Ukrainian case)

in Mental Health and Social Inclusion (2022), 26(3 2022-06-29T00:00:00), 242-256

Purpose The ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine has had wide-ranging health, social and economic consequences for the civilian population. It has emphasised the need for comprehensive and sustainable reform ... [more ▼]

Purpose The ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine has had wide-ranging health, social and economic consequences for the civilian population. It has emphasised the need for comprehensive and sustainable reform of the Ukrainian mental health system. The Ukrainian Government has approved a vision for national mental health reform. This study aims to draw on the lessons of mental health reform in other conflict-affected settings to identify areas of priority for applying the national mental health policy in conflict-affected regions in the direction of better social inclusion of people with mental health conditions (Donetsk and Luhansk regions, directly affected by the conflict). Design/methodology/approach A literature review was conducted to identify lessons from implementing mental health reform in other conflict-affected settings. Findings were summarized, and best practices were applied to the national and regional policy context. Findings The literature described emergencies as an opportunity to build sustainable mental health systems. A systematic and long-term view for reform is required to capitalise on this opportunity. For better social inclusion, implementation of the concept for mental health and mental health action plans in Donetsk and Luhansk regions should prioritise raising mental health awareness and reducing stigma; developing the capacity of local authorities in the development and coordination of services; tailoring mental health service provision according to the availability of services and population need targeting the needs of particularly vulnerable groups and embedding the activities of humanitarian actors in local care pathways. Research limitations/implications This study summarises the literature on mental health reform in conflict-affected settings and applies key findings to Eastern Ukraine. This study has drawn on various sources, including peer-reviewed journals and grey literature and made several practical recommendations. Nevertheless, potentially relevant information could have been contained in sources that were excluded based on their publication in another language (i.e. not in English). Indeed, while the included studies provided rich examples of mental health reform implemented in conflict-affected settings, further research is required to better understand the mechanisms for effecting sustainable mental health reform in conflict-affected settings Originality/value The paper describes opportunities for developing a local community-based mental health-care system in Ukraine, despite the devastating effects of the ongoing war. [less ▲]

Global networks of finance and information at the crossroads: correspondent banking and SWIFT

in Global Networks (2022)

This article explores how transaction information is a fundamental element enabling and fostering global flows of money. Financial systems, constructed around account-based money, require infrastructure ... [more ▼]

This article explores how transaction information is a fundamental element enabling and fostering global flows of money. Financial systems, constructed around account-based money, require infrastructure, which is separated into two parts: messaging and settlement, performed via trusted agents. This separation has allowed the geographical expansion of banking, and to this day constitutes a key architecture of increasingly global networks of money. Focusing on the correspondent banking system and the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, this article demonstrates the workings of this infrastructure in cross-border payments and in enacting economic sanctions. This sociotechnical infrastructure is a crucial yet overlooked area of global banking, which makes global economic and financial activity possible in the first place. Importantly, by analysing the organizational architecture of the global payments system and including the actors and agencies within it, we elucidate the (changing) relationships between data/information, geographies and power, contributing to the formation of a literature that conceptualizes financial infrastructure. [less ▲]

Preschool predictors of learning to read and spell in an additional language: a two-wave longitudinal study in a multilingual context.

in Reading and Writing (2022)

The study explores whether foundational skills of reading and spelling in preschool (age 5–6) predict literacy skills cross-linguistically in an additional language in Grade 1 (age 6–7). A sample of ... [more ▼]

The study explores whether foundational skills of reading and spelling in preschool (age 5–6) predict literacy skills cross-linguistically in an additional language in Grade 1 (age 6–7). A sample of linguistically diverse preschool children completed tasks of phonological awareness, letter-sound knowledge, verbal-short term memory, rapid automatized naming, and lexical knowledge in the language of preschool instruction Luxembourgish. The children were followed-up in Grade 1 where literacy skills were assessed in the language of schooling, i.e., German, after fve months of literacy instruction. German was a non-native language for all children. Longitudinal correlations confrm that individual diferences in single word/pseudoword reading and spelling in German in Grade 1 can be predicted by all the foundational literacy skills that were assessed in Luxembourgish. Path analyses showed that phonological awareness in Luxembourgish emerged as the strongest unique predictor of Grade 1 literacy skills in German. The second unique preschool predictor of Grade 1 literacy skills was letter-sound knowledge. Results are consistent with the view that literacy development in an additional language builds upon similar building blocks as literacy acquisition in a frst language, at least for languages that are typologically close. However, current fndings suggest that respective contributions between predictors and literacy skills in children learning to read in an additional language may vary from patterns observed in studies with children acquiring literacy in their frst language. [less ▲]

Shocks and Time: The Development of the European Financial Assistance Regime

in Journal of Common Market Studies (2022)

This paper analyses the impact of economic crises on the development of European financial assistance. It demonstrates that crisis episodes that have taken place over the last five decades have ... [more ▼]

This paper analyses the impact of economic crises on the development of European financial assistance. It demonstrates that crisis episodes that have taken place over the last five decades have significantly altered the design of European Union emergency support. This paper illustrates how solutions adopted in formative moments–including the 1973 oil shock, the Eurozone crisis, and the Covid-19 pandemic–and their long-term consequences led to the smorgasbord of instruments of the present financial assistance structure. By applying a historical institutionalist approach, combining insights from studies of critical junctures and gradual change, this contribution explains how economic shocks contributed to change in financial assistance, while also highlighting mechanisms that led to the continuation of specific elements of the assistance structure. [less ▲]

Throughput Enhancement in FD- and SWIPT-enabled IoT Networks over Non-Identical Rayleigh Fading

in IEEE Internet of Things Journal (2022), 9(12),

Simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) and full-duplex (FD) have emerged as prominent technologies to overcome limited energy re sources and improve spectral efficiency (SE) in ... [more ▼]

Simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) and full-duplex (FD) have emerged as prominent technologies to overcome limited energy re sources and improve spectral efficiency (SE) in Internet-of Things (IoT) networks. This article investigates the outage and throughput performance for a decode-and-forward (DF) relay SWIPT system, which consists of one source, multiple relays, and one destination. Herein, the relay nodes can harvest energy from the source’s signal and operate in the FD mode. Further, a sub-optimal, low-complexity, yet efficient relay selection scheme is proposed. Specifically, one relay is selected to convey information from a source to a destination so that it achieves the best channel from source to relays. Then, by considering two relaying strategies, termed static power splitting-based relaying (SPSR) and optimal dynamic power splitting-based relaying (ODPSR), performance analysis in terms of outage probability (OP) and throughput are performed for each one. Notably, the independent and non-identically distributed (i.n.i.d.) Rayleigh fading channels are considered, which poses new challenges for obtaining analytical expressions. In this context, we derive exact closed-form expressions for the OP and throughput of both SPSR and ODPSR schemes. Moreover, the optimal power splitting ratio of ODPSR is obtained to maximize the achievable capacity at the destination. Finally, extensive numerical and simulation results are presented to confirm our analytical findings. Both the simulation and analytical results show the superiority of ODPSR over SPSR. [less ▲]

When Bad News Become Good News Towards Usable Instances of Learning with Physical Errors

in IACR Transactions on Cryptographic Hardware and Embedded Systems (2022), 2022(4), 1--24